13 of the Very Best Rental-Friendly Hacks of All Time

Renting your home doesn’t mean you’re stuck with what the landlord gave you. Sure, knocking down a wall or gutting the bathroom may be major renter no-nos, but there are plenty of other modifications and enhancements you can make so that your home reflects  your personal design style and fits the way you live.

Below, you’ll find 13 brilliant apartment rental hacks that will help you add your own style and personality to your home, whether it’s a pre-war apartment or a chic high-rise condo. It won’t take long until your own rental is a better and more beautiful reflection of you.

Sometimes, all it takes to brighten up a room (literally) is swapping out a drab, dated light fixture for a new one. However, you can also simply zhush up existing light fixtures with a stylish lampshade, a coat of paint, or even a ceiling medallion. You can DIY your own light fixture swap (with appropriate caution!) like this renter did in her bungalow’s dining room. If you don’t feel comfortable, this is an easy and affordable project to hire out!

While you may not be able to replace your slide-in ceramic shower-bath combo, changing up some accent pieces can go a long way in a bathroom. Give your current mirror an upgrade by adding a stylish frame or replacing it entirely with a chic mirror that will instantly elevate the space. The ornate gold mirror shown here is actually a DIY medicine cabinet! See the full bathroom redo here.

If you’re lucky enough to have a patio or balcony, installing a stylish awning can help make it usable in poor weather (or extra hot weather!) — meaning you get just a little bit more living space to call your own. The one in this Barcelona apartment shows just how much shade and privacy a strategic awning can create.

Some budget-friendly art in unexpected spaces — the bathroom, the kitchen, other nooks and crannies — can add some personality without breaking your rental agreement. Use a small finish nail to keep the hole tiny, or try Command strips or hooks to hang art without any tools at all.

Don’t feel like you’re limited to just traditional prints: This gallery wall redo proves that almost any object you like can be hung as art.

You deserve better than a standard-issue shower head! Installing a new shower head is easy, and when you move out, you can take it with you. Try one with a fancy twist, like a built-in speaker, integrated aromatherapy, or even just a removable hand shower.

For a renter-friendly way to create the look of open shelving, try removing the doors from your cabinets and stowing them away somewhere safe until you’re preparing to move out. Then, use the display space to show off your dishes and decor like this renter did in her kitchen refresh.

Rental-friendly removable wallpaper can go a long way in achieving your dream home. It can really transform a bland bathroom or dark bedroom into a vibrant space. If peel-and-stick is out of the question, try using finish nails or even thumbtacks to hang fabric or wallpaper for the same look as shown in this pink bedroom redo. You’ll just need to fill the holes on move-out. Easy!

Just because your apartment may have been built in the last decade doesn’t mean it has to remain bland and modern. One easy way to infuse some vintage charm into a rental is to invest in a faux fireplace or even just a fireplace mantel that can up the ambiance and make your living room or bedroom feel extra cozy. Above, you can see how a faux mantel adds a luxurious touch to a once-plain NYC apartment; check out the rest of the rental here.

Try hanging plants or plug-in pendant lights from the ceiling to create a more layered space. Even better, you won’t reduce precious square footage! This Portland rental shows how you can use accent lighting to create a cozy reading spot without needing to wire anything.

A little hardware swap can go a long way in transforming cabinets, doors, and more. You’ll be amazed by how much this cost-effective upgrade will elevate your rental space, as shown in this Toronto rental’s cute kitchen. Hang on to the originals to swap back in when you leave!

Whether you have a loft, studio, or three-bedroom apartment, a bookshelf can serve a second purpose as a room divider. It’s a great way to make even a small space feel like it can easily serve multiple purposes, like in this small studio that brilliantly uses an IKEA bookshelf to mimic a wall.

Try a peel-and-stick “tile” backsplash in the kitchen, as shown in this gorgeous kitchen redo. Or cover counters to get the look of stone or wood, as this renter did in her kitchen. Underfoot, you can even add stick-on tile like in this rental kitchen.

You can do something small-scale — like the door molding writer Ashley Poskin DIYed here — or go even bigger with board-and-batten wall molding. Get the full how-to for renter-friendly wainscoting here.